Scot's Discovery of vvitchcraft proving the common opinions of witches contracting with divels, spirits, or familiars ... to be but imaginary, erronious conceptions and novelties : wherein also, the lewde unchristian all written and published in anno 1584, by Reginald Scot, Esquire.

To the right worshipfull Sir Thomas Scot, Knight, &c.

SIr, I see among other malefactors many poor old women convented before you for work∣ing of Miracles, otherwise called witch∣craft, & therefore I thought you also ameet person to whom I might commend my book. And here I have occasion to speak of your sincere admi∣nistration of justice, and of your dexterity, discretion, charge, and travel emploied in that behalf, whereof I am oculatus testis. Howbeit I had rather refer the Reader to common fame, and their own eies and ears to be satisfied; then to send them to a Stationers shop, where many times lies are vendible, and truth contemptible. For I being of your house, of your name, and of your bloud; my foot being under your table, my hand in your dish, or rather in your purse, might be thought to flatter you in that, wherein (I know) I should rather offend you than please you. And what need I curry-favour with my most assured friend? And if I should only publish those vertues (though they be many) which give me special occasion to exhibit this my travel unto you, I should do as a painter, that describeth the foot of a notable personage, and leaveth all the best features in his body untouched.

I therefore (at this time) do only desire you to consider of my report, concerning the evidence that is commonly brought before you against them. See first whether the evi∣dence be not frivolous, and whether the proofs brought against them be not incredible, consisting of guesses, pre∣sumptions, and impossibilities contrary to reason, Scrip∣ture,

& nature. See also what persons complain upon them, whether they be not of the basest, the ūwisest & most faith∣lesse kind of people. Also may it please you to way what accusations and crimes they lay to their charge, namely: She was at my house of late, she would have had a pot of milk, she departed in a chafe because she had it not, she railed, she cursed, she mumbled and whispered, and finally she said she would be even with me: and soon after my child, my cow, my sow, or my pullet died, or was strangely taken. Nay (if it please your Worship) I have further proof: I was with a wise woman, & she told me I had an ill neigh∣bour, and that she would come to my house ere it were long, and so did she; and that she had a mark above her waste, and so had she: and God forgive me, my stomach hath gone against her a great while. Her mother before her was counted a witch, she hath been beaten and scrat∣ched by the face till bloud was drawn upon her, because she hath bin suspected, and afterwards some of those per∣sons were said to amend. These are the certainties that I hear in their evidences.

Note also how easily they may be brought to confess that which they never did, nor lieth in the power of man to do: and then see whether I have cause to write as I do. Further, if you shall see that infidelity, popery, and many other ma∣nifest heresies be backed and shouldered, and their profes∣sors animated and heartned, by yielding to creatures such infinit power as is wrested out of Gods hand, and attri∣buted to witches: finally, if you shall perceive that I have faithfully and truely delivered and set down the conditi∣on and state of the witch, and also of the witch monger, and have confuted by reason and law, and by the word of God it self, all mine adversaries objections & arguments: then let me have your countenance against them that ma∣liciously oppose themselves against me.

My greatest adversaries are young ignorance and old custome. For what folly soever tract of time hath foster∣ed, it is so superstitiously pursued of some, as though no error could be acquainted with custome. But if the lawe of nations would join with such custom, to the maintenance of ignorance, & to the suppressing of knowledge; the civi∣lest country in the world would soon become barbarous, &c. For as knowledge & time discovereth errors, so doth super∣stition and ignorance in time breed them. And concerning the opinions of such, as wish that ignorance should rather be maintained, than knowledge busily searched for, be∣cause thereby offence may grow: I answer, that we are com∣manded by Christ himself to search for knowledge: for it is the kings honour (as Solomon saith) to search out a thing.

Aristotle said to Alexander, that a mind well furni∣shed was more beautifull then a body richly arraied. What can be more odious to man, or offensive to God, than ig∣norance: for through ignorance the Iewes did put Christ to death. Which ignorance whosoever forsaketh, is promi∣sed life everlasting: and therefore among Christians it should be abhorred above all other things. For even as when we wrestle in the dark, we tumble in the mire, &c. so when we see not the truth, we wallowe in errors. A blind man may seek long in the rushes ere he find a needle; and as soon is a doubt discussed by ignorance. Finally, truth is no sooner found out in ignorance, then a sweet savor in a dunghill. And if they will allow men knowledge, and give them no leave to use it, men were much better be without it than have it. For it is as to have a talent, and to hide it under the earth; or to put a candle under a bushell: or as to have a ship, and to let her lie alwaies in the dock: which thing how profitable it is, I can say some∣what by experience.

But hereof I need say no more, for every man seeth that none can be happy who knoweth not what felicity mean∣eth. For what availeth it to have riches, and not to have the use thereof? Truly the heathen herein deserved more commendation then many christians, for they spared no pain no cost, nor travell to attain to knowlede. Pythago∣ras travelled from Thamus to Aegypt, and afterwards in∣to Crete and Lac••daemonia: and Plato out of Athens in∣to Italy and Aegypt, and all to find out hidden secrets and knowledge: which when a man hath, he seemeth te be separated from mortality. For pretious stones, and all other creatures of what value soever, are but counter∣feits to this jewell: they are mortall, corruptible and in∣constant; this is immortall, pure and certain. Wherefore if I have searched and found out any good thing, that ig∣norance and time hath smothered, the same I commend unto you: to whom though I owe all that I have, yet am I bold to make others partakers with you in this poor gift.

Your loving cousen Reg. Scot.

Notes

• John 5. Prov. 15.1.
• Acts 3. Proverbs 9.
• Matth. 25. Matthew 5. Luke 8.